Jerome Simpson spent Monday at the NFL offices in New York attempting to convince league officials he doesn't deserve a three-game suspension they are set to give him.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Monday afternoon that the Vikings wide receiver missed practice so he could attend the hearing to defend himself against the potential ban he could get for a drunken-driving arrest in November.

A few hours later, David Valentini, a Twin Cities-based attorney who is representing Simpson, told ESPN that his client was appealing a three-game suspension. Valentini told the network that Simpson was trying to get the suspension eliminated, and is waiting to hear the league's decision.

Simpson, who was second on the Vikings with 48 receptions for 726 yards and one touchdown last season, faced a drunken-driving count after he was arrested last Nov. 9 on Interstate 394 just outside of downtown Minneapolis.

The charge was dropped to careless driving and refusing to submit to a chemical test in early January after Simpson agreed to a plea deal. He was sentenced to two years of probation by a Hennepin County Judge.

One issue that Simpson faced with the NFL was that he already was suspended for three games to begin the 2012 season after he was convicted of a felony for receiving 2 pounds of marijuana at his Kentucky home while he was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Simpson received a 15-day jail sentence, was fined $7,500 and placed on three years probation for that incident. Simpson signed with the Vikings as a free agent in April 2012.

The Vikings open the regular season on Sept. 7 in St. Louis before facing New England on Sept. 14 at TCF Bank Stadium and then traveling to New Orleans on Sept. 21.

Meanwhile, coach Mike Zimmer told reporters that defensive end Brian Robison missed Monday's practice so he could attend to a personal matter. Wide receiver Jarius Wright left practice after appearing to suffer an injury to his left ankle when he attemped to go up for a pass. Wright returned to the field to watch the remainder of practice.